wells



Patented Mar., 20L, IQZBQ @NTT-ea STT-Tes mamar amas CLEMENT wams, or New YORK, n'. Y.

THERMOSTATIC REGULATOR.

Application led December 27, 1921. Serial o. 524353.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT J. C. VVnLL-s, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at New York, N. Y., have invented a new and useful rIhermostatic Regulator, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has two main objects,namely, to provide a simple, inexpensive safety relief element for a thermostatio device of the type set fo-rth in my Patent No. "1,392,031, and -to utilize certain principles of the invention of said patent in a saturated vapor type of regulator. l

Another obJect is to apply the principle of the improved safety relief device `in a` simple manner to a saturated vapor type of regulator.

In the accompanying drawings Il have' shown three modifications of my invention, but it should be understood that I contemplate that other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of my invention.

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic side view and partial section of 'apparatus embodying one form of my invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are partial side views and, sections of other forms of thermostatic devices embodying certain features of my imp-rovements. y

The fluid or medium to be controlled passes through the conduit or pipe 5. Interposed in this conduit is a section 6 of relatively thin metal of high specific thermal conductivity. Surrounding this section 6 is a casing 7, spaced apart from it, so as to form a chamber 8 for the controlling fluid, the rise and fall of the volume of pressure of which is to be used in operating some form of control valve 9. y

In the form shown in Fig. 1 I employ an expansible chamber 10 in the form of metallic bellows or diaphragm, the movable part of which is connected to the Ivalve. The chamber of this expfansible element is connected by a small tube 11 to the bottom of the chamber 8. rIhis arrangement is intended to employ a highly volatileliquid, such as ether7 and the valve is operated by changes in tension of the saturated vapor. y rIhe temperature at which thevvalve is operated is controlled by the setting of the adjustable weight 12, asis common in mechanism of this general type.

In apparatus of this saturated vapor type of control it has always been customary. so far as I know, heretofore to employ some form of bulb containing highly vola-tile liquid, and to immerse this bulb in the vessel containing the fluid to be controlled. I have found that by employing a thermostatic device such as herein described a much Amore sensitive action is obtained without any additional expense or complicated mechanism ormethod of installation. By disposing the expansion agent in the form of a thin film or layer about the heat absorption surface I obtain a maximum sensitiveness. Changes' in temperature of the fluid passing through the conduit 5 are almost instantly communicated to the -volatile liquid in the chamber 8, and the change in vapor tension immediately affects the expansible device 10 in the valve 9. 'I he double wall tubing may be straight. as herein shown, or coiled or bent so as to bring it into any desired shape or limited space.

In a system of this type excessive pressure tends to condense the vapor and relieve the pressure. As an additional precaution, I propose to provide, if necessary. an expansible coil. preferably of oval or elliptical cross section which tends to act like a Bourdon tube and expand with increases in pressure. This relief tube is preferably connected direct to the fluid chamber 8, and

may be in the form of a coil 13 surrounding the casing 7 and forming a part of the conduit which connects the chamber 8v with 'the expansible member 10. One end of this coil 13 is secured to the casing 7. and the other end is free to move as the coil expands and contracts. To' facilitate the movement I may also provide another coil 14 in the conduit. though there will be no tendency to restrict or retard the expansion and contraction of the coil 13. When the pressure in the chamber 8 becomes excessive, the coil 13 will tend to straighten out and increase in volume. and thus avoid the veffect of pressure, which might otherwise be destructive.

'Ihe relief coil may be independent of the conduit which connects the thermostatic element to the valve operator. as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. It should also be understood 'that the principle of this relief element may be employed with valve operating mechanism of the form shown in my former patent, and also that the relief element is adapted to thermostatic devices employing relatively tract the coil 16 and thus relieve excessivel pressure.

In the form shown in /Fig. 2 the relief` coil 18 is connected to the outside of the casing 7, independently of the conduit 15, which leads to the valve operating mechanism, and in this case reliefof excessive pressure is afforded by expansion of the coil 18.

I claim: p 1. In a thermostatic regulator, a conduit for the fluid Whose temperature is to be controlled, said conduit having a section formed of a relatively thinwall of metal of high specific thermal conductivity, a casing surrounding said section but spaced apart therefrom to provide a chamber for a regulating fluid, and a relief coil having one end stationary and another end freely movable and subjected to the pressure within said' chamber.

2. In a thermostatic regulator, a casing having an inner Wall of high thermal conductivity through Which the fluid to be regulatedl flows, and having an outer Wall spaced apart lfrom the inner wall to form a chamber adapted to contain a fluid, and a relief tube having `one end secured to one of said Walls and coiled about the same.

3. In a thermostatic device, a conduit having an inner Wall of high specific thermal conductivity, and an outer Wall spaced apart therefrom and forming a chamber surrounding the inner Wall, and a relief tube connected to said outer Wall and coiled about the same.

4. In a' thermostatic `regulator a conduit for the fluid to be controlled having a section of a relatively thin `Wall of high specific thermal conductivity, a casingi surrounding said section but spaced a small distance therefrom to provide a thinf chamber for a regulating fluid, a control valve and expansible member operating said valve, a tube of small diameter connecting the lower part of said chamber and said expansible member, a highly volatile liquid partially filling the space within said chamber, said tube and said member, whereby the pressure developed in said chamber is communicated to said eXpa-nsible member, and adjustable means for varying the initial pressure Within said expansible member to thereby select the temperature at which the .apparatus Will operate.

5. `In a thermostatic regulator, a conduit for the fluid lto be controlled, a casing surrounding apart of said conduit and forming a chamber partially filled with a vaporizable liquid, a valve, an eXpansible member for controlling said valve, and a tube connecting said eXpansible member with said chamber, said tube having an expansible section.

6. In a thermostatic regulator, a conduit, a casing surrounding the conduit and forming a chamber for a vaporizable liquid, a f1 valve, an expans'ible '.,iember for operating said valve, and a tube connected to said casing and coiled about the same and connected to said expansible member.

7. In a thermostatic device, a conduit for fluid to be controlled, a chamber in contact with a. Wall of said conduit and containing a fluid sensitive to temperature changes in said cond-uit, and a relief tube of ova-l cross section having one end anchored to said chamber and the other end movable, said tube being exposed tothe pressure within said chamber on one side and to atmospheric pressure on the opposite side.

HERBERT JAMES CLEMENT WELLS. 

